Anthrax Vaccine, Adsorbed, Injection

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is given by injection to provide protection against infection by the anthrax bacteria.
• This medicine may cause unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take.

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What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: vaccine

Generic and brand names: anthrax vaccine, adsorbed, injection; AVA; BioThrax

What is this medicine used for?

This vaccine is given by injection (shots) to provide protection against infection by the anthrax bacteria. This vaccine is only given to certain people who are at-risk or who have been exposed to anthrax. It is given along with other medicines after exposure.

Adults at risk for anthrax infection include:

• Workers who handle imported animal hides, wools, or bone meal
• Healthcare workers, public safety workers, and veterinarians
• People in the military
• People who are exposed to anthrax

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before receiving this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• An allergic reaction to any medicine or to latex
• A weakened immune system from cancer treatment, diseases such as HIV/AIDS, or from taking steroid medicines or medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Anthrax infection in the past
• Bleeding disorders or if you take blood thinners
• Guillain-Barré syndrome

Tell your healthcare provider if you currently have an infection or fever.

Females of childbearing age: This medicine is not usually given to pregnant women because it can harm the baby. If you are pregnant, tell your healthcare provider. Do not become pregnant during treatment with this medicine. If you become pregnant, contact your healthcare provider right away. Do not breast-feed while you are receiving this medicine without your healthcare provider’s approval.

How do I use it?

These shots are given by your healthcare provider. Keep all appointments for vaccinations to be sure that you are protected.

You must receive a series of shots to be protected against anthrax. You are not protected until you receive all shots. You may need a booster shot every year if your risk of exposure continues. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

If you have been exposed to anthrax, you need to take antibiotics as well as receiving this vaccine. Carefully follow your healthcare provider’s instructions for taking other medicines.

What should I watch out for?

You may have soreness, irritation, or pain where the injection is given. If pain continues for more than a couple of days or becomes severe, call your healthcare provider.

If you need emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you have received this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help.): Allergic reaction (hives, itching, rash, tightness in your chest, swelling of your lips, tongue or throat, trouble breathing), pain in your chest, jaw, or arm.

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Dizziness, increased heart rate, severe muscle pain, decreased urination, unexplained muscle weakness, numbness in arms or legs.

Other: Fatigue; fever; headache; runny nose; sore throat; nausea; muscle aches; warmth, redness, swelling, soreness, bruising, or itching on your skin where the shot was given.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• Cancer medicines such as cisplatin, doxorubicin (Doxil), hydroxyurea (Droxia, Hydrea), vinblastine, and vincristine (Marqibo)
• Corticosteroids such as betamethasone, cortisone, dexamethasone, fludrocortisone, hydrocortisone (A-Hydrocort, Cortef), methylprednisolone (Medrol, Solu-Medrol), prednisolone (Omnipred, Orapred, Prelone), prednisone (Prednisone Intensol), and triamcinolone (Aristospan, Kenalog)
• Immunosuppressants such as azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), mycophenolate (CellCept, Myfortic), sirolimus (Rapamune), and tacrolimus (Astagraf, Prograf, Protopic)
• Medicines to treat or prevent blood clots such as dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), fondaparinux (Arixtra), heparin, and warfarin (Coumadin)
• Medicines to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other immune disorders such as adalimumab (Humira), anakinra (Kineret), certolizumab (Cimzia), etanercept (Enbrel), golimumab (Simponi), infliximab (Remicade), leflunomide (Arava), tocilizumab (Actemra), tofacitinib (Xeljanz), and ustekinumab (Stelara)
• Methotrexate (Otrexup, Rasuvo, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
• Multiple sclerosis medicines such as fingolimod (Gilenya), glatiramer (Copaxone), natalizumab (Tysabri), and teriflunomide (Aubagio)
• Other vaccines
• Radiation therapy

Keep a record of all vaccines received and when you received them.

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.